Complete
by ImaginaryEngineer
Summary: Right after graduation, Lotte's been running her family's shop. But this year, the Christmas rush as them running on a tight schedule, and the only one available to deliver Sucy's rush order was Lotte herself.


**Complete**

LWA Secret Santa (for KentaMisaka)  
Sucy/Lotte (1st Person)

* * *

Carrying around 50 pounds of the Fly Agaric Mushroom wasn't fun. My arms were aching, my lower back was about to cave in; considering that it's a 6 hour ride through the Leylines to get from Finland to the Philippines, I was physically exhausted. I could've gotten there faster if I didn't have such a heavy cargo load with me. But compression spells only work with space, not weight.

"Sucy…"

It was hard to travel fast through the forest, especially since I had to keep a barrier on top of the cargo and myself to keep the rain from drenching us both. Sucy did warn my parents of a bad typhoon coming along this time of month. Not to mention she specifically said that she was only going to receive her order at night. She'd be out or busy doing some potion mixing at any other time.

I've learned not to question much of Sucy's intentions with her little projects; I'm sure she knows exactly what she's doing even if her goals were sometimes quite malicious in nature. Back at Luna Nova, she'd always be mixing some sort of potion during our breaks. And even though her intention was to cause some sort of trouble—like turning our roommate's short ponytail into a plant—she'd meant for it to happen. And it's continued on after her graduation. She's now a famous witch in her country, brewing potions with a high potency depending on its purpose.

She's always kept in touch with my parents with her orders of exotic ingredients for her potions and charms. I've never been the one to answer her calls or her orders. I've been too busy running around managing the branches of our shop that we've opened across Finland.

Although I did promise my parents that I'll be taking over our store once I've secured my license to operate it, I couldn't let them retire from managing it just yet. Magic finally had been revived. It's slowly gaining power and everyone's starting to believe in magic once again. There was a surge in demand for everything we had in our store and it only took a few weeks to deplete our current inventory. My parents were shocked by the empty shelves and counters since it's never happened before.

It took awhile, but we were finally able to get goods flowing at a maintainable pace. We've hired a few employees to execute the day-to-day transactions and started to build networks of suppliers and customers. Soon enough, the Yanson Family store became the world's leading supplier of magical ingredients everywhere.

It was inevitable to think that we'd be able to maintain a steady pace for our business, even with the holiday rush. But I didn't think that it would run a bit _too_ well. Demands were so high that we had a tight scheduling. We've been expecting orders for charms, artifacts and even hundreds of shipments of ingredients before the Christmas season started. This meant that everyone had their hands on deck. That included myself.

Assigning every one of my staff a task to be completed has left me with a problem. We did have standard shipping days, especially those orders outside Finland. But Sucy's call was unexpected. She contacted my mother saying she needed at least 50 pounds of the Fly Agaric mushroom as soon as possible. And since she's a regular customer and a close friend of the family, it was an order we couldn't refuse.

I wouldn't allow it despite recent business constraints. I took it upon myself to deliver this ridiculous rush order with minimal delay.

"Don't go," my mother pleaded. "You've overworked yourself already. You have to relax every now and then. We can delay Sucy's order for a day or two. She'd understand."

She was adamant about not letting me push through with the delivery. But my mind was set.

I couldn't disappoint Sucy.

"I can't relax right now," I said, making sure the orders were packed properly before compressing them into a small box that I could carry. "This is why we created this store. It's a business that's reliable to its customers. And we should stand by that."

"Lotte," she put a hand on my shoulder "you've been so preoccupied with work that you can't find time to yourself. Why don't you spend it on your own? This business will be able to stand on its own—we have competent people. Find something that'll make you happy for once. You know, being successful isn't the only thing that's going to make you happy."

I winced at the thought of that. The last time I had a vacation was the final summer break we had at Luna Nova. I've been focused on the business since then. It sort of gave me this feeling of competence and accomplishment that I've been longing for since I've graduated. My motivation to keep working stemmed from this little void in me that I couldn't seem to satisfy.

I promised my parents to return home in one piece. It was with a heavy heart when I closed the door behind me after my mother begged and pleaded that I stay.

Sucy's address was vague. She didn't provide a formal address; she only described it as a _Nipa Hut_ located in one of the forests in the outskirts of the city of _Siquijor_ , all of which sounded so foreign in my head. At first, I thought about asking someone else for directions to where Sucy Manbavaran currently lived. But I figured I could manage by just following her instructions.

My calves were already covered in mud as I travelled towards this distant, discreet location. I didn't bother asking the citizens I saw walking along the way.

The Leyline terminal was near the forest she had mentioned. Not wasting time, I flew myself slowly towards the direction of the conspicuous landmark.

Although the rain clouds filled the night sky, the moon light was strong enough to light a rough road through the trees whose branches looked like thin, eerie fingers stretching towards the dark, angry sky. It made the trip a little easier, but scarier, towards her house. At least I'm sure that I wouldn't get lost on my way there. Having a fire spirit sitting on the tip of my broom was nifty—at least if there were dangerous creatures out to get me, I would be able to fight back.

Sucy's home was concealed by a dense gathering of trees. Her little hut was barely half the height of the trees that surrounded it. The ground around her hut was dry despite the heavy rain. There wasn't a drop of water on any of the plants growing beside her house. The rain pouring from above her house disappeared as it hit the tip of roof made of dried leaves. I assume Sucy casted some kind of spell to prevent any precipitation from damaging her house.

Before stepping onto her doorstep, I dismounted the small box hanging from my broom. It sat perfectly in front of her door as I unbuckled my wand from the side of my belt. I pointed it towards the package before casting, " _Purka Matkalauku."_

The small container was surrounded by smoke at the sound of a resounding _pop_. Once the smoke cleared out, her doorstep was filled with the 10 boxes she ordered.

"Hello?" I called out. "Delivery for Sucy Manbavaran!"

There were footsteps, slow and light. There was a creak, followed instantly by a light coming from above the boxes. "Hey," I said, hoping that I was loud enough that the person who opened the door would hear me. "So, this is a delivery for—"

"Lotte?" She sounded surprised. I'd never thought I'd hear her speak my name again, especially since we're barely in touch. It sounded soothing, and it gave me feelings like hearing a favorite song again after years that it's been forgotten.

There was this silence that hung between the both of us. It was different compared to the nights studying in the dorm room. Or the days where we stayed in the library. Or the breaks we spent sitting in the courtyard. Maybe it was too long since we've seen each other. We stood there stiff, both not knowing what to say.

To break it, I asked her, "So, where would you like these placed? 50 pounds of the Fly Agaric mushroom is a lot so…"

"We don't have that type of mushroom here," she said. "I need enough to make a potion for a village worth's of people. Hence, the 10 boxes."

"Are you up to no good again?" It was instinct that took over. To ask her if she was brewing trouble was a habit that I hadn't quite gotten over since Luna Nova. The idea that Akko was somewhere in the house passed out, awaiting some sort of experiment was dancing at the back of my head. I simply couldn't shake away that thought.

The boxes started to levitate, one by one, into her house. Once the top boxes were cleared, I was finally able to see her.

"I'm up to something, I'll give that to you," she smiled, showing off those sharp fangs. I was surprised. Sucy never smiled.

I groaned. "You never answered my question properly so I'm taking that as a yes."

She looked different from our school years. Maybe it was because she was no longer wearing the uniform, or that she'd gotten quite tall. Or the fact that she was wearing a long, black dress that showed off her shoulders, which was too revealing for her tastes—well, at least before. And that her hair was pulled back into a lazy, messy bun.

"I-I…" I didn't know what to say to her. The scent of amber hit my nose as a took a step closer to her.

Her expression didn't change at all despite my flustered reaction. "Aren't you supposed to be managing your family's shop? I was expecting Armo or Elias to deliver my orders. Not you," came her reply. Distant as always.

"We're short on people an—"

"Would you like to come in? You look so awkward just standing there," she said.

I accepted her invitation and followed her. The door closed once all the boxes floated into the back part of her small hut.

"Has it always been this rainy here?"

"Not at this time of the year," she said. "You can never predict the weather around here. Last year, it was extremely hot. Everyone says it's because of global warming. I'd say it's because Mother Nature wants us all dead."

I rolled my eyes. Her attempt at humor was too dark for me.

She must've noticed the crease of my brow and twist at the side of my lips because she changed the subject immediately.

"You look different with long hair."

"Well, business has my hands full. Cutting my hair isn't high on my priority list," I said, then reached out to the tips of my own hair running past my shoulders. Now that she's mentioned it, I guess it was starting to grow longer than I usually kept it. "You look splendid as well. You haven't changed at all."

I got a raised eyebrow as a reply. Knowing her, she probably was going to say something along the lines of _You don't have to be nice_ or _Are you expecting a favor of some sort?_ But she didn't.

"Thanks," she replied. And it might be because I'm tired, but her answer sounded sincere.

We stared into each other for a long time. It was like I was peering into the angry sky raining above us. Its darkness was piercing even though it's the same night sky that I've known for years. Mysteriously haunting but comfortably familiar.

"You know, Lotte," she said as she tucks a stray, violet hair behind her ear. "This rain isn't going to be stopping anytime soon. The typhoon's going to last until Sund—."

"I have to go home," my reply came fast that I thought she might've taken it the wrong way. "I—I mean," I had to correct myself. It's not that I didn't want to be here. The thought of the business going along without me there to overlook it was overwhelming. We had a lot of deliveries, and if no one's there to supervise it, my parents might not be able to keep up with the demand.

My family business needed me there. I had to return.

She stood there as her smile dropped. "You know, we haven't caught up with each other in a while. Sit back and relax. I'll make you some tea. At least stay until the rain dies down."

She sounded worried. And it wasn't that I was tired, or flustered. She genuinely sounded like she didn't want me to leave.

But the thought of my parents and our family store was still urging me to return.

"We're still short on help," I reasoned with her, my voice started to break. "And I really need to go check on my inventories for the week for the holidays," I whispered, my hand slowly creeping up my nape. I couldn't look at her; my eyes dropped to the floor and my stomach lurched.

She didn't say a word after that. The only thing resonating in the air was the sound of the rain drops from outside and the harsh wind shifting the trees.

Looking up—although I didn't want to—made my heart sink. The smile that greeted me at the door was no longer there. It was replaced by a frown, and it made my heart ache.

I wanted to hug her, wanting to take a step towards her but I hesitated. I didn't know if she still was the same Sucy I knew in Luna Noval.

"Take a seat for a while," she said as she disappeared behind the small door where all those little boxes were stored. "Don't go anywhere. I'll be back with some tea. The rain's drenched you enough that I could see you shivering from a mile away," she yelled.

Come to think of it, my clothes were pretty wet. Good thing that her couch was made of wood—I wasn't familiar with what type it was. I remember her saying that it's made locally. I can't recall its name.

I waited for Sucy on the couch as she disappeared around the corner. The dim, yellow lights cast a shadow throughout the small hut in a similar fashion to multiple candle lights. The bareness of the room gave me an uncomfortable sense of emptiness that culls me to fill the void with _something_. The only furniture in it besides the wooden couch was the small coffee table in the middle. There were no signs of any photos or artworks in her house. Her walls were tall and bare, the same light brown tinge absorbing the warm light emanating from the light bulb that hung low from her ceiling. It didn't look like Sucy had a television or electronics. The only source of entertainment was the open window that provided a good view of the forest outside from the couch, allowing the breeze enough room to circulate through her house.

She must've done most of her alchemy at the back of her hut. She emerged from the door and closed it and went straight to the kitchen counter. Aside from that, the room had a small table, enough for at least two people to eat on, and a kitchen sink.

I wasn't aware that I had been staring at her backside until she threw me a sideward glance. "Do you really have to go?" Her voice was soft, almost like a whimper. "You sure you wouldn't want to stay, even for a night?"

I kept my mouth shut, watching her move— _or glide_ —across the wooden floor of her house from the kitchen to where I was seated. She handed the purple mug, with a mushroom print on it, over to me. I've never thought I would miss the feeling of warmth until I held the mug in my hands. The steam on top of it was enough to warm my face that I let my drink hover just below my chin before I took a sip. It wasn't like most of the teas served in Europe. It was strong, but its flavor and its aroma was calming.

"It's work—" I stopped abruptly. This was the mug I gave her when we graduated and in that moment, something clicked. "Does anyone else live with you here?"

She crossed her arms. "Why would they? I'm a witch. And people are bothersome anyway so living in solitude has its perks."

I placed the mug down on the small coffee table and stood up. "But, you want me to stay?"

"Concern is more like it, Lotte. You're still a friend that… I care about. I don't want anything happening to you in the middle of this typhoon. At least if you leave on Sunday, the sun's out and it'll be no problem for you."

"Is there another reason that you'd want me to stay?" I chose my words carefully. "I've dealt with a few clients with impossible weather conditions, and this is just another job to me." Because none of that added up. She didn't like having guests nor does she want to be part of any human interaction. She's a hermit by definition. And yet, she urged me to stay until the rainy days over. "Are you sure that it's the rain that's keeping me here? Or something else entirely?"

She bit her lip, then crossed her arms. "Well…" She trailed off. "The rai—"

"Doesn't really bother me at all." I interrupted her, then stood up. She kept still, avoiding eye contact with me. She was much taller than I was years ago, but as I approached her, she was like a deer being backed up into a tree. She couldn't even look at me.

I stopped once I was close enough to notice that her droopy eyes had a weight to them. That even if her hair was pulled back into a bun, she had a few strands hovering a distance from her cheeks—which were tinged a bit darker from the rest of her face.

"Are you sure it's just the rain?"

Finally, I got my answer. She released a long breath, before looking me eye to eye. "I missed you. And your company. You're the only one that's brought color into my life and a chance to have you around for a day was something I… needed. Badly, right now."

I didn't hesitate. I hugged her and nuzzled my face into her chest. This familiar warmth that spread across my chest was overwhelming that it brought a tear to my eye.

"I've missed you too, Sucy. And I've forgotten how happy you've made me feel."

She had her arms around me in an instant. Her fingers were playing with the tip of my hair and I swore she sniffed the top of my head. I reeked of rainwater and sweat but it didn't seem to bother her. She kept me close, and I didn't want her to let me go.

"It took 147 order's to get you to come to my doorstep. If I had known any sooner, I should've ordered from your store every week. You would've come 2 years earlier."

"Sucy…" I mumbled into her embrace as my eyebrows furrowed at her response.

The thought of the business running without me there still was on my mind but I guess it could run a few days without my supervision. Because this, _this_ was exactly that filled that gap that was missing. "If I'd known you needed to see me so soon, I would've been the one to deliver the first order you've ever sent."

She let out a giggle.

"If you did that, I would never let you go. I'd lock you up in my room and never let you get away. It gets lonely out here and keeping you might help with the loneliness."

"You're harmless. You wouldn't do that to me," I said as I nudged her back with my hand.

"Maybe to you. I'd say you're _my only exception_."

I hummed. "Yes. And that's all that matters."

Yes, _she's_ all that mattered. And for the first time, this gap in my heart was filled. For the first time, I finally felt complete.


End file.
